If you dream of a meatloaf recipe that doesn’t require rummaging through your spice rack or checking the expiration dates on your condiments, consider this the dawn of a very tasty day. You can make meatloaf with a glaze with very few ingredients thanks to one pantry powerhouse: bloody Mary mix. Not only does it cut down on ingredients and therefore cost, but also it makes for extra savory, perfectly seasoned results that really up the ante on the plain old ketchup-flavored kind.

Why It Works

Bloody Mary mix contains many of the same components as traditional meatloaf, such as pureed tomatoes, salt and black pepper and umami-rich Worcestershire sauce. It provides lots of flavor and keeps your meatloaf shopping list short because it does double duty in both the mixture and glaze.

This wallet- and time-friendly approach makes sense to culinary scientist Jessica Gavin. Tomatoes are naturally rich in glutamate, an amino acid that can enhance umami flavors in dishes. “Using a premade bloody Mary mix can provide a similar savory boost,” she says. “Most mixes also contain a sweetener like sugar or molasses, vinegar, pepper, and alliums like garlic and onion, and this can help further season plain ground beef.”

How to Use Bloody Mary Mix In Meatloaf

Add a small amount of bloody Mary mix to the breadcrumbs, eggs and ground meat in your meatloaf mixture. Because bloody Mary mix is thinner than the tomato paste or ketchup in most meatloaf recipes, a little goes a long way. "Consider adding just 1 to 2 tablespoons for every 2 pounds of beef,” says Gavin. “If the meatloaf mixture feels too mushy, gradually add some breadcrumbs to help absorb some of the juice and assist with binding.”

While the meatloaf bakes, reduce a half-cup of bloody Mary mix on the stovetop. When it reduces to a third- or quarter-cup, stir in maple syrup or brown sugar simple syrup, then simmer until you’re pleased with the glaze’s flavor and consistency. “It should cling to the meat as you brush it onto the surface,” Gavin says.

Choose Your Bloody Mary Mix Carefully

Like any packaged product, the flavors, consistency and caliber of bloody Mary mixes vary. Use a quality mix that you like to drink and remember that reducing any liquid will concentrate its spiciness.

“Play around with your tolerance for heat,” suggests Alejandro Lopez, the founder of Toma Beverage Co. If you like a spicier glazed meatloaf, reduce your preferred bloody Mary mix by half. For a sweeter topping that resembles ketchup, use a mild bloody Mary mix. Either way, Lopez adds, you want the ingredients of your bloody Mary mix ingredients like black pepper and garlic to complement your meatloaf, not overwhelm it. “Meatloaf should be savory first, then the spice comes through.”

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